Scott Snedecor Snares his First NCFSR Championship
TORRINGTON, Wyo. – Scott Snedecor picked a good day to have a good day in Torrington, Wyo.
The four-time PRCA Steer Roping World Champion added the National Circuit Finals Steer Roping title to his resume on Sunday.
The Fredericksburg, Texas, cowboy, representing the Texas Circuit, clocked a 10.8-second run in the four-man, sudden-death finals to capture the win by a tenth of a second over Cody Lee at the Goshen County Pavilion.
“This is great,” said Snedecor, who won world championships in 2005, 2008, 2017 and 2018. “To win the circuit in Texas is just a feat in itself and then you make it up here and you have to beat all the circuit guys. It has been a monkey on my back for a little while. I have always enjoyed coming up here and never taken advantage of all the money they put out for us over here.
“It started out good. Then I got a little weak on a couple of steers and I had to fight my way back in.”
Snedecor finished seventh in the six-head average with a 76.8-second time on five head. That qualified him for the eight-man semifinals. He moved to the four-man, sudden-death finals by finishing second in the semis with a 9.9-second run.
Snedecor was the third cowboy out in the finals and stopped the clock in 10.8 seconds to scoot in front of Lee. Garrett Hale, the semifinal winner with a 9.4-second run, was the final competitor of the day and he registered a no time to secure the victory for Snedecor.
“I just try to tie everything down as fast as I can,” Snedecor said. “When you come up here it is a six-head average, but for me it is just six-one headers pretty much. There’s a time when you want to do things smarter than other times but for me it is six one-head.
“My clock in my head was going pretty fast (on that last run). I thought I ran him just a little too far and then I strung him above the knee and had to hurry a little bit. It worked out.”
Snedecor left Torrington after earning $11,112, setting an event record. The NCFSR earnings record was $10,786 by Cole Patterson in 2021.
The final eight semifinal round consisted of Chet Herren, Hale, Cole Patterson, Lee, Billy Good, Snedecor and John Clark. Hale (9.4 seconds), Snedecor (9.9 seconds), Lee (10.7 seconds) and Patterson (11.9 seconds), advanced to the final four. Patterson was the reigning two-time NCFSR champion.
Herren was the only roper of the 35 contestants to rope his first six steers.
Herren won average with an 84.3-second time on six head and earned $2,963. Hale was second with a 63.8-second time on five head and earned $2,223 and Patterson was third with a 69.4-second time on five head and earned $1,482.
Snedecor set the tone for his fabulous day by winning Round 5 (11.5 seconds) and Round 6 (9.3 seconds). He also won Round 1 (11.2 seconds) on Saturday.
Snedecor’s horse, Goose, 13, was selected as NCFSR Horse of the Year.
“It is a great day,” Snedecor said. “(Goose) scores great and he runs really hard, and he pays attention all the time. He doesn’t want to do bad. He wants to win all the time, just as bad as I do, and you very rarely have to get after him for any reason. He wants to please. I will be back here in Torrington any time I earn a spot.”
Final Results of 2023 National Circuit Finals Steers Roping:
Round 1: 1. Scott Snedecor, 11.2 seconds, $1,646; 2. Chet Herren, 11.7. $1,235; 3. (tie), Cole Patterson, 12.8, $617; Ora Taton, 12.8, $617
Round 2: 1. (tie), Chet Herren, 11.3, $1,441; Garrett Hale, 11.3, $1,441; 3. Trent Sorey, 11.7, $823; 4. Cody Lee, 11.8, $412
Round 3: 1. Ora Taton, 10.9 seconds, $1,646; 2. (tie), Reo Lohse, 11.1 seconds, $1,029; Travis Mills, 11.1, $1,029; 4. (tie), Troy Tillard, 11.3, $137; Jess Tierney, 11.3, $137; Cole Patterson, 11.3, $137
Round 4: 1. Cody Lee, 12.0 seconds, $1,646; 2. J. Tom Fisher, 12. 1, $1,235; 3. Chet Herren, 12.2, $823; 4. Corey Ross, 12.4, $412
Average through four head: 1. Chet Herren, 46.9 on 4 head; 2. Billy Good 63.3; 3. John Clark, 66.4; 4. Hank Hollenback, 82.8; 5. Cody Lee, 37.8 on 3; 6. Garrett Hale, 39.3, on 3; 7. Cole Patterson, 41.3, on 3; 8. Trent Sorey, 41.5 on 3.
Round 5: 1. Scott Snedecor, 11.5 seconds, $1,646; 2. Rocky Patterson, 11.6, $1,235; 3. (tie), Ryan Rochlitz, 12.3, $617; Reo Lohse, 12.3, $617
Round 6: 1. Scott Snedecor, 9.3 seconds, $1,646; 2. Ora Taton, 9.8, $1,235; 3. Garrett Hale, 10.0, $823; 4. Vin Fisher Jr., 10.5, $412
Final Average through six head: 1. Chet Herren, 84.3 on 6 head, $2,963; 2. Garrett Hale, 63.8 on 5, $2,223; 3. Cole Patterson, 69.5 on 5, $1,482; 4. Cooper Mills, 73.2 on 5, $741; 5. Cody Lee, 74.1 on 5; 6. Billy Good, 74.9 on 5; 7. Scott Snedecor, 76.8 on 5; 8. John Clark, 80.1 on 5.
Semifinals: 1. Garrett Hale, 9.4 seconds, $2,963; 2. Scott Snedecor, 9.9, $2,223; 3. Cody Lee, 10.7, $1,482; 4. Cole Patterson, 11.9, $741; 5. Cooper Mills, 14.4; 6. John Clark, NT; 7. Billy Good, NT ; Chet Herren, NT
Finals: 1. Scott Snedecor, 10.8, $3,951; 2. Cody Lee, 10.9, $2,963; 3. Cole Patterson, 20.1, $1,976; 4. Garrett Hale, NT, $988
Courtesy of PRCA